1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a user interface to facilitate telephone circuit maintenance and testing. In particular, the present invention is directed to a user interface that integrates disparate maintenance and testing applications and systems into a single common control interface.
2. Acronyms
The written description provided herein contains acronyms which refer to various telecommunications services, components and techniques, as well as features relating to the present invention. Although some of these acronyms are known, use of these acronyms is not strictly standardized in the art. For purposes of the written description herein, acronyms will be defined as follows:
Advanced Interactive executive (AIX)
Basic Rate Interface (BRI)
Bellcore Client Company (BCC)
Circuit Access Code (CAC)
Circuit ID (CKT)
Circuit Layout Order Number (CLO)
Digital Data System (DDS)
Digital Speed Interpolation (DSI)
Electronic Bonding (EB)
High Level Language Application Programming Interface (HLLAPI)
Inter-Exchange Carrier (IEC)
ISDN Basic Rate Interface (BRI)
Line Record Display (OSSLR)
Local Area Network (LAN)
Maintenance and Analysis Plan for Special Services (MAPSS)
Manager Scratch Pad (MSP)
Network Monitoring and Analysis (NMA)
Network and Services Database (NSDB)
Online Query System (OQS)
Operational Support System (OSS)
Order Number (ORD)
Private Branch Exchange (PBX)
Tracking Key/Circuit Layout Order Number (TRK/CLO)
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
Trouble Report (TR)
Work and Force Administration (WFA)
Work and Force Administration-Control (WFA/C)
3. Background Information
Conventionally, in order for service personnel to perform trouble-shooting, billing updates and testing of circuits, the service personnel must perform these tasks on separate systems, each of which have a different interface. The various user interfaces require the service personnel to access multiple terminals and to memorize multiple passwords for each system. Further, service personnel need to familiarize themselves with the differing interfaces and functional flows of the different systems. In addition to the above, the conventional systems are not universally provided with an interface to communicate and transfer information to other systems.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a user interface and system that integrates disparate maintenance and testing systems and applications into a single common control interface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a single user interface and system that interacts with Work Force and Administration (WFA) systems, Operations Support Systems (OSS), Network Monitoring and Analysis (NMA) systems, and REACT 2001 systems.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an interface and system to perform a remote testing of analog services, digital data system (DDS) and digital speed interpolation (DSI) services, and ISDN Basic Rate service.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an interface and system to access ISDN switches to perform standard trouble isolation testing.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an interface and system to perform testing of ISDN switches in accordance with vendor-specific switch criteria.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an interface and system which substantially reduces the learning curve for service personnel performing remote testing.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a user interface and system having point-and-click/cut-and-paste capabilities, such that users may quickly and easily process trouble reports from creation of the trouble report at a point of origin to the close-out stage, and such that users may quickly and easily process rebate information and billing information.
In accordance with the above-listed objects, there is provided a user interface and system which provides a single, user-friendly, common interface to login and perform testing, trouble-shooting and billing updates. The user interface and system are adapted to dynamically monitor work lists on a user-controlled basis with individual, terminal-specific customization.
In addition to providing an interface to Work Force and Administration (WFA), Operations Support Systems (OSS) and REACT 2001 systems, the system may selectively store customer trouble report data for retrieval during system outages to provide continuous access to customer data. The system may initiate a remote test session into the appropriate REACT 2001 host processor in an environment where multiple REACT 2001 host processors are connected to a wide area network. The system may also perform inward and outward dispatches for resolving network problems, control billing and rebate functions, and to perform trouble report restoration. The system may also be adapted to provide audio alerts in accordance with selected events, for example, receipt of a trouble report indicating problems in critical special services circuits. Such an audio alert may comprise, for example, a signal sent to an administrative personnel""s pager. The system may also be provided with online help and tutorial references to quickly provide users with information. Further, the system may be adapted to interface with other conventional systems, such as, for example, OPSINE and TIRKS.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the user interface and system is adapted to interact with Network Monitoring and Analysis (NMA) systems and Operations Support Systems (OSSs) to test ISDN Basic Rate Interface (BRI) lines via the serving digital (ISDN) switch. The system may access the serving ISDN switch via the NMA interface and perform standard trouble isolation testing on the BRI lines. The ISDN switches may comprise, for example, Lucent 5ESS and Siemens EWSD switching platforms.
The user interface and system of the present invention may utilize point-and-click functionality to speed the testing process and provide an easy, straightforward interface. The user interface and system also provides channel switch access to NMA, which provides for a secure connection to NMA, thus eliminating remote login security concerns. The user interface and system may be provided with a queuing function to queue requests to the ISDN switches, thus providing for efficient utilization of the limited numbers of switch access ports. In addition to the above, the system may automatically determine the type (i.e., vendor) of the ISDN switch undergoing testing once the BRI directory number is submitted. Once the type is determined, the system may automatically initiate the appropriate testing commands based on input provided by the user. Further, the system and interface includes ISDN BRI tests, which may be accessed by pull-down menus. In addition, other ISDN BRI tests may be added as necessary. The user may use the system and user interface to transfer data (e.g., test results) from the ISDN switch to WFA for auditing and tracking.
The above-listed and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully set forth hereinafter.
According to an object of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for integrating a plurality of disparate systems. The apparatus has a common control interface, an inputting device for entering data required by the plurality of disparate systems into the common interface, and means for transferring the data from the common control interface to at least one system of the plurality of disparate systems. The apparatus further comprises a user login system that logs a user onto the common control interface and permits usage of the plurality of disparate systems.
According to a feature of the present invention, the plurality of disparate systems comprise maintenance and testing systems. The testing systems perform remote testing of analog services and/or ISDN switches.
According to an advantage of the instant invention, the common control interface comprises a user interface having point-and-click/ cut-and-paste capabilities.
According to another object of the present invention, an apparatus is disclosed for telephone circuit maintenance and testing, comprising a control interface in which a user enters data, a telephone circuit maintenance and testing interface that receives data from the control interface, and a tester, that is controlled by the telephone circuit maintenance and testing interface, that tests predetermined telephone parameters. The tester performs a remote testing of analog services and/or ISDN switches. In this regard, the testing of ISDN switches is performed in accordance with vendor-specific switch criteria. The control interface comprises a first window for logging on and logging off the control interface, and a second window for bringing up screens necessary for performing proper maintenance analysis.
According to an advantage of the instant invention, a GUI interface is provided that facilitates the entry of the data.
According to another feature of the invention, the GUI interface provides point-and-click and cut-and-paste capabilities to the user.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the control interface automates the sending and receiving of data between the control interface and the telephone circuit maintenance and testing interface.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a user interface for use with a telephone circuit maintenance and testing system, that comprises a menu bar, which contains a plurality of menus required by a user to log on the system, log off the system, and handle routine setup parameters, and a toolbar from which a plurality of screens can be called to input data required for a trouble ticket. The data is used for proper maintenance analysis by an automated test tool that performs an automated test on at least one parameter of a telephone system. Further, a data transporter is provided that transfers the data input via the toolbar to a WFA/C interface, in which the WFA/C interface controls the automated test tool. The automated test tool performs digital testing and/or analog testing. a still further advantage of the present invention is that a converter is provided that converts the data input via the toolbar to a form usable by a WFA/C interface that facilitates telephone circuit maintenance. The converted data is exchanged between the user interface and the WFA/C interface.